Image Name: Prince Harry’s Photo
Image Credit: Hindustan Times
This week, the Royal Family posted a picture to celebrate Prince Harry’s 40th birthday. Perversely, one felt that Meghan Markle was nowhere to be seen in the photo, and the resulting set of rumors and Facebook debates probably says it all. King Charles and Prince William posted Harry pictures taken during his pre-Meghan days, which may have been the most hurtful move as it has people believing this might be a snub and flames the fires of speculation regarding tensions between the Royal Family and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The Photo That Caused All the Buzz
The Royal Family selected a photo of Prince Harry in the very early stages of his life and from before he would ever know Meghan Markle. Many can only assume that the Royal Family may be attempting to erase Meghan from this very narrative. For starters, since 2020, the relationship between Harry and Meghan and the Royal Family has not been exactly tranquil, especially with several public rowing matches.
One of the many glaring examples was their explosive 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where the couple shared personal strife within the Royal Family, accusations of racism and neglect, among others. The consequence was that Meghan was frequently kept out of most key moments of the royal family, and her exclusion continued to stoke the flames in this birthday post.
Meghan’s Continued Exclusion
This is not the first time Meghan Markle was snubbed on issues concerning the royal family. For one, she skipped King Charles’s coronation in May, staying in California while Prince Harry attended solo. Her being ignored in the birthday tribute of the Royal Family further fueled speculations that the Royals are indeed disassociating from Meghan Markle.
Critics say that the Royal Family is desperate to create attention once again back upon Harry’s pre-Meghan days, and even a flattery-drenched image of Harry, which would make him more palatable to traditional royalists. Meghan, being candid over appearances in interviews, a Netflix documentary, and Harry’s memoir “Spare,” is a still-flared issue in royal circles.
Social Media Reactions
The people were in a whirlwind to give their opinions when the birthday photo of Meghan was posted on the social media sites. Many thought that by excluding Meghan from the “birthday family photo”, the royal family wanted to convey a message. Some sardonic commentators said this was a modern way of relegating Meghan to the fringes. A Twitter user commented, “Meghan Markle erased again. The Royal Family seems to keep her out of the picture.” Others made the argument that it was simply about Harry and his former life as a royal where Meghan certainly wasn’t part of it. Some suggested it was for his time as a senior royal in the later years before he left Meghan, and should not be construed as an insult.
Image Name: meghan markle and prince harry
Image Credit: Economic Times
Buckingham Palace Reacts
The online buzz surrounded the celebration; Buckingham Palace released a statement dismissing all of the rumors. According to the statement, the photograph was meant to celebrate Harry’s time as part of the Royal Family and never planned to exclude or disrespect Meghan. The statement is supposed to be an attempt to cool things down, but opinions were split. Whereas some believed the explanation for why Harry and Meghan would step down by the Royal House, others believe that it cannot account for all animosity put forth between the couple and the rest of the House of Royals. For a long time, people felt there is more to this picture than what they see. The public attacks from the couples against the monarchy have given quite many reasons as to why something might not be so plain here.
Meghan Markle: Sticking Battle with the Royal House
Since her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, Meghan Markle has been having an uphill struggle fitting into the Royal Family. She came from a context that included being a biracial American actress and was also vocal, meaning there was never-ending media interference over time. British tabloids were criticizing everything she was doing, leaving behind a harsh image that only got worse with time.
The apparent mental health issues, the disconnection from the support of the Royal Family and racism that made her and Harry’s leaving royal duties so inevitable came to light in Meghan’s interview with Oprah. Meghan was generally absent from such royal events since then; though Harry attended most major functions. Her absenteeism in the birthday post feels like yet another reminder of the strain of her relationship with the monarchy.
What Does This Incident Reveal?
Buckingham Palace’s denial cannot hide the fact that Meghan Markle is conspicuous by her absence in the birthday tribute. The decision to send images of when Harry was a working royal makes one think that institution is still perceiving Harry within the context of his life before Meghan. Whereas Harry has attended various grand royal events since he stepped back, the absence of Meghan from both occasions and such public display gestures as the birthday post highlights this widening gap between her and the monarchy. Whether unintentional or not, the image chosen can be interpreted as telling a story of a family that is far from having reached mutual reconciliation.
Conclusion
Whether it was a snub or simply an innocent choice of photograph, Meghan Markle’s exclusion from the birthday post remains a debate. Buckingham Palace continues to insist that the photo choice wasn’t meant as an offense to Meghan Markle, but the couple’s past with the Royal Family still raises suspicions on some deeper issues.
Every step taken by the members of the Royal Family towards the public creates echoes, and Meghan’s decision to skip this ritual has created space for talking about how much reconciliation work has actually been done between the two. Harry and Meghan are moving ahead in their life in California but seem further from other members of the Royal Family.
